I am trying to create a custom dropdown which will be maintained from the DataTypes section and where instead of adding a text and being assigned a random integer for the value, instead we can add a text with a value of our choice (some string or guid).
Obviously the out of the box data types are unable to do that but I am not sure how I can build it myself. All the drop downs out there load their values either from the Database, Dictionaries, XML files, Files, JSon string etc.
In my case I want to maintain the values from umbraco the same way the Umbraco dropdown files work. So it would look identical to what we have now, except the "value" field will also be editable the same way the text field is.
I checked and uComponents doesn't have such a dropdown either.
I created a use control but the DataEditorSettings do not help me create a similar interface to the existin Drop down interface.
Is it essential to manage the values within the datatypes section ?
You could use the built-in XPath DropDownList and have it select from a collection of nodes, where you manage your custom property values on these nodes ?
Or if these values don't need to be CMS managed and you'd prefer a code orientated solution how about the Enum DropDownList where you can assign whatever value to you like to an enum via attributes ?
The dropdown needs to be managed by the content management team so it cannot be anything programmatical which includes enumerators, database etc and it cannot be file based xml, json etc either.
It needs to be something within Umbraco. The custom node would work but I think it's faster and easier to add the value pair? In my case, each content management team manages different node paths and adding the drop down value pairs into the content tree would add a lot of permission overhead.
Hi Nick, unfortunately I'm still not clear on the desired functionality - there's to be a global list of text / value options that need to be managed by content editors ideally in the developer section ? where these values are to drive a drop down list also used by content editors, or is this drop down list on the front end of the site ?
I'm sure there's many ways of going around it, I could have created a custom dictionary, XML file, database table or just a node tree but this is all useless for me because I need it to be managed from the DataTypes section.
As you have seen I have already found a solution and implemented it. I am only wondering if there is a better way. A flexible drop down list control out there, something that already exists or something someone else had come across, because being able to control the option values of your select must be a very common requirement, I would have thought.
How to create a custom dropdown datatype with non integer option values
Hi,
I am trying to create a custom dropdown which will be maintained from the DataTypes section and where instead of adding a text and being assigned a random integer for the value, instead we can add a text with a value of our choice (some string or guid).
Obviously the out of the box data types are unable to do that but I am not sure how I can build it myself.
All the drop downs out there load their values either from the Database, Dictionaries, XML files, Files, JSon string etc.
In my case I want to maintain the values from umbraco the same way the Umbraco dropdown files work.
So it would look identical to what we have now, except the "value" field will also be editable the same way the text field is.
I checked and uComponents doesn't have such a dropdown either.
I created a use control but the DataEditorSettings do not help me create a similar interface to the existin Drop down interface.
Any guidelines as to how to do it?
Okay one idea is to use:
[DataEditorSetting("myCustomList", type = typeof(Values)]
where we add our text/value pairs with a delimitor:
Text A;guid
Text B;guid2
Text C;guid3
But I'm hoping for a more elegant solution?
Hi Nick,
Is it essential to manage the values within the datatypes section ?
You could use the built-in XPath DropDownList and have it select from a collection of nodes, where you manage your custom property values on these nodes ?
Or if these values don't need to be CMS managed and you'd prefer a code orientated solution how about the Enum DropDownList where you can assign whatever value to you like to an enum via attributes ?
Hope these spark some ideas :)
Hendy
These ideas are very welcome,
The dropdown needs to be managed by the content management team so it cannot be anything programmatical which includes enumerators, database etc and it cannot be file based xml, json etc either.
It needs to be something within Umbraco. The custom node would work but I think it's faster and easier to add the value pair?
In my case, each content management team manages different node paths and adding the drop down value pairs into the content tree would add a lot of permission overhead.
Hi Nick,
Do you require a global list of text / value combinations to populate this drop down, or are they to differ for each content management team ?
Can you give an example (perhaps there's another way to solve this problem ?)
It is global for everyone, it just needs to be maintained from the datatype menu.
So far my solution works but it's not elegant. I add the values comma separated as my example above and then my dropdown renders using those.
I'm just interested in knowing if there's a better/more elegant solution out there
Hi Nick, unfortunately I'm still not clear on the desired functionality - there's to be a global list of text / value options that need to be managed by content editors ideally in the developer section ? where these values are to drive a drop down list also used by content editors, or is this drop down list on the front end of the site ?
Are you able to describe a use-case ?
I'll write very detailed steps to show you this fundamental umbraco limitation:
Go to Umbraco -> Developer -> Data Types
Click "Create new"
Property Editor: Dropdown List
Add prevalue (datatype Ntext):
test1
test2
As you can see you can hover over the text and edit it, but you cannot edit the Value that umbraco decides for you.
I want a custom dropdown list whose values are also editable.
Hi Nick, I was wondering about the implementation requirements as there may be another way to solve your problem ?
I'm sure there's many ways of going around it, I could have created a custom dictionary, XML file, database table or just a node tree but this is all useless for me because I need it to be managed from the DataTypes section.
As you have seen I have already found a solution and implemented it. I am only wondering if there is a better way. A flexible drop down list control out there, something that already exists or something someone else had come across, because being able to control the option values of your select must be a very common requirement, I would have thought.
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